FIRST-HALF goals from Ricky Johnson and Zac McEachran and a superb battling defensive display earned Banbury United a 2-1 victory at Frome Town.

The Puritans’s hard-earned win keeps them in with an outside chance of making the Premier Division play-offs.

Manager Mike Ford made one change from the side that had beaten St Ives the previous Saturday, with Manny Duku coming in for his first start, with Conor McDonagh dropped to the bench.

On a heavy pitch, Banbury took the lead in the second minute.

Johnson took advantage of a mistake from Frome defender Marcus Mapstone and struck a low shot past keeper Kyle Phillips from 12 yards.

Eddie Odhiambo was unlucky not to make it 2-0 in the 38th minute when his shot smashed against a post.

But in the fourth minute of first-half injury time, Banbury doubled their lead.

A Tom Winters corner from the right found McEachran, who tapped home at the far post.

Frome pulled back a goal in the 58th minute when George Miller’s corner was headed in by Clayton Green.

There was no let-up for the Banbury defence as Frome piled forward in search of an equaliser.

But keeper Jack Harding saved from Mike Bryant, and they also survived a goalmouth scramble to hang on to the points.

Banbury Utd: Harding, Odhiambo, Bradbury, Nash (White HT),Westbrook, Carnell, McEachran, Self, Johnson, Duku (McDonagh 52), Winters (Martin 66). Subs not used: Humphreys, Browne.

Attendance: 270.